404 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



[Oct. 



No. 15, is recent, in "a neat hand -writing; slightly punctured, and in- 

 nured within, by insects; for the rest in good preservation. It contains 

 only two of the tales complete. 



Note. — These manuscripts are entered in the Des. Cat. vol. 1, p. 343 

 art.lxvi. 



7. Vedanta raschjanam, the substance or essence of the Vedanta, No. 

 120 — Countermark 472. 



This is a rather singular work to meet with, in this collection; con- 

 veying an emotion of pleasurable surprise. It is the production of a 

 Telugu Brahman, by birth; but of one who had become a Christian, 

 by profession ; and is written both to explain, and to advocate, the 

 Christian religion. The author had studied the Vedanta system of Vy- 

 asa and his followers ; and, as that is the substance of the Vedas, so 

 in this book he gives the substance, or essence of the Holy Scriptures* 

 especially of the New Testament. Various portions of the contents of 

 both the Old and New Testament, are adverted to, or narrated ; and the 

 superiority of the Christian religion is enforced. The Bhdralam, Bha- 

 gavatam, and Scandam, are adverted to by way of conlrast, and confuta- 

 tion ; and idolatry is strongly condemned. The. term Sarvesvara (com- 

 mon among Roman Catholics) is employed to designate the Su- 

 preme Being ; whose unity, as opposed to polytheism, is maintained. 

 The names of some Patriarchs are mentioned, and compared with the 

 name of munis, such as Vasishia, Visvamitra, and others, familiar to 

 Hindus. A recommendation of the Christian religion ; the necessity 

 of baptism ; and the great blessings of deliverance from the power of 

 evil ; are other portions of the contents. The author gives his name as 

 Ananddbhi, son of Timmaya of Manyala girt, of the Atrasa-yotra, or 

 family. As Ananddbhi is the same, in effect, with Ananda rao or 

 Ananda-rayer, I am enabled to recognize the author as being the same 

 with Ananda-rayer, a Brahman, of whom at different times I have heard, 

 and read, something ; but with whose entire biography I am not ac- 

 quainted. From a gentleman, who personally knew him, I have 

 learned that he was accustomed to make use of some such work as this, 

 in daily conversations, and discussions, with Brahmans and others. I 

 was further glad to hear, that this gentleman regard^! him as a sincere, 

 though in some respects, an imperfect, Christian. He was in the em- 

 ploy of the Reverend Messrs. Cran, and Desgranges, of Vizagapatam j 

 and, as I conjecture, composed this book at the suggestion of one, or 

 both of them. It is written in the Padya-cdvyam > measure : and divided 

 into four adhydyas, or sections. The seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth, 



